New York in Postcards 1880 1980 The Andreas Adam Collection

New York is a global iconand#8212;the quintessential metropolis. Over three centuries it has morphed from the colonial fur trading hub of New Amsterdam into one of the most vibrant and exciting cities on earth. The history of the Big Apple has been documented many times over in many diverse ways, including books, photographs, and songs. But in this lavish, beautiful volume,and#160;Thomas Kramerand#160;offers a new perspective, telling the story of New York throughand#160;Andreas Adamand#8217;sand#160;vast collection of rare picture postcards that recount the cityand#8217;s changing identity and culture over the last century.

Theand#160;nine hundred well-preserved, vintage cards in New York in Postcards 1880and#8211;1980 bring to life the look and feel of their eras in concise visual statements. The cardsand#8217; striking prints, organized by subject and geographic area, vividly depict every aspect of New York City over the centuries: the Native American village that became Manhattan; nineteenth-century street scenes; famous architectural landmarks; lush gardens; cars and trains; and historical events. The images themselves are a fascinating mand#233;lange of artistic mediums. There are archival photographs, as well as paintings and drawings that represent a range of styles from art nouveau to neo-objectivism, naturalism, and pop art. The book is rounded out with essays by Paul Goldberger, the New Yorkerand#8217;s renowned architecture critic, and art historian Kent Lydecker on the visual narrative and the architectural history of New York and the cultural history of the picture postcard.and#160;

An opulent and unparalleled collection of vintage art, New York in Postcards 1880and#8211;1980 reveals unexpected facets of Gothamand#8217;s history and how America is reflected in its triumphant tale.

Thomas Kramer is managing director and chief editor of Scheidegger and Spiess.